Worlds Apart
by Calliope2
Summary: Snape/OC: What happens when a muggle-raised squib discovers a part of her world never known before and finds love there?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: JK Rowling, not me, owns Harry Potter and its characters, places, and things.  
  
Authors Note: Well, here we are.....my first venture into Harry Potter fanfic waters. I have found this to be a lot harder than writing fics for any of my other interests. When I told someone about what I was planning to write, they brought up an interesting point. I won't say what it is here, but I do acknowledge what they had to say. Unfortunately, this was the story that was trapped in my mind begging to be let out.  
  
I have to say a big hello to white raven. Her Snape fic, Tea With The Black Dragon, is what inspired me to try my hand at this. I can only hope that my story can get near the level of achievement she's managed with her story. If you are a Snape fan, read her story. It's amazing!  
  
A couple of other thank-you's before we start: To PR and Pink for being my "guinea pigs" and reading the first drafts of the story. Thanks for putting up with me while I was trying to be creative. To ScapeBabe, the worlds best beta tester. Never be afraid your reviews and suggestions will be too harsh. This story wouldn't be as good without them.  
  
All comments and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism's are welcome (don't just tell me you think the story sucks....tell me why you think it sucks). Enough of my babbling....on with our tale.......  
  
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"Put your faith in what you most believe in...two worlds, one family..."- Phil Collins  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The small girl peeked out through the doorway of her bedroom, her eye pressed to the crack. She stared at the kindly looking old man sitting on their threadbare couch. The living room windows were open, letting in a breeze that carried the smells of the city into the apartment and gave little relief from the heat of a NYC summer. The tiny Brooklyn apartment was her whole world, and she was always curious when someone new came into it. She giggled and hid her face when the old man caught her staring at him, smiling at her and winking.  
  
"Why didn't he come?" she heard her mother ask, a note of sadness in her voice. The old man's face turned serious at the question as he sighed.  
  
"He's chosen to ignore the child's existence, unfortunately," he said gravely.  
  
"But he promised she would be well taken care of! She's his daughter! How can he just turn his back on her?" her mother asked, choking back a sob. The little girls eyes teared up hearing her mother so sad. "He's not even come to see her since she was born."  
  
"Mommy, don't cry!" the child cried out, throwing open her bedroom door and charging into the room. "Go away!" she yelled at the old man. "You're mean!" Her mother crouched down and pulled her into her embrace, smoothing the child's wild black curls back from her face. She stared back at her mother, her startling violet eyes seeming years older than she actually was. She placed a small hand on her mother's cheek.  
  
"Come here, child," the old man said from the couch. Giving the old man a suspicious look, she looked at her mother for approval. She nodded her head yes, and released her. She cautiously stepped closer to the couch, eyeing the man with a mix of curiosity and resentment. She sensed that somehow that this man was an important part of her world, but had no idea why. He held out a small bag of jelly beans to her, and looking back at her mother to make sure it was ok first, she stepped closer to take them. Child and man regarded each other solemnly as the child ate her candy. He gave her a kindly smile and ruffled her curls affectionately.  
  
"I will make sure she stays safe," he vowed, looking up at her mother.......  
  
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Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his tired eyes as the staff filed into his office. He had called them together to share some important news. He cleared his throat as they settled into chairs or found places to stand in his crowded office.  
  
"I have called you all here because I have a bit of a surprise," he said. "As you all can see, Professor Lupin is not here. I have sent him to collect a rather special package and bring it here to Hogwarts."  
  
"Is it...." McGonagall began, trailing off as Dumbledore held up a hand for her to be patient. The rest of the staff stared at him in curiosity. Only Snape, with his usual chilly detachment, seemed disinterested in what Dumbledore had to say.  
  
"This will come as a shock to most of you, even those of you who have known me for many years. Twenty-seven years ago, my brother's son had a brief liaison with a muggle woman while on holiday in the United States. A child was born of that affair. He chose not to acknowledge the child, which was a shame, as she was a charming, lovely little girl. It is her that I have sent Lupin to bring back."  
  
"Why haven't we heard of her before now? I would have assumed she would have been trained here at Hogwart's once she was old enough," Flitwick asked, watching as Dumbledore and McGonagall exchanged veiled looks.  
  
"I think I can guess why her own father refused to acknowledge her and we've never heard of her until now. She's a squib, am I correct?" Snape asked with a cold sneer. The rest of the teachers broke into a confused chorus of voices as Dumbledore nodded his assent to Snape's question. Dumbledore held up his hand for silence.  
  
"Up until now, she's grown up with no knowledge of the wizarding world. But that must change. Her life is in danger. Despite the efforts I took to keep her existence a secret, Voldermort has learned of her. She has proven to have more lives than a cat, but her luck can't hold out forever."  
  
The teachers looked at him with a mixture of horror and understanding on their faces. Dumbledore continued, "She is being brought to Hogwarts for her protection. While this is a shock to the rest of you, imagine what she will go through once she's exposed to all this. This is why I have called all of you together. I am asking you to help her adjust to things once she arrives."  
  
Snape's face creased in even more of a sneer as he pushed away from the wall and moved towards the door. "If you will excuse me, Headmaster, I have more important things to do then act as a babysitter," he said coldly as he began to make his exit.  
  
Dumbledore gave him an assessing look before his eyes began to twinkle with amusement. "Ah, well, that is a shame, Severus. But unfortunately, I have chosen you to be her initial.....what was the word you used? Ah yes! Babysitter," he said with suppressed mirth. Snape stared at him in horror. "I expect you to be in this office when she arrives tonight." He chuckled as Snape bared his teeth and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Dumbledore sat back in his chair, not bothering to hide his amusement as the other teachers all started asking questions at once. He looked forward to what was promising to be a most interesting evening  
  
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Trista winced as she put weight on her left leg. Her knee was killing her after her little tumble down two flights of stairs that morning. She was lucky a few bruises and a banged up knee were all she got from the incident.  
  
"Luck, my ass," she muttered under her breath, pushing her unruly curls back out of her face. At 27, she had had more "accidents" than anyone else she knew who had the clumsiest of childhoods. She swore that she was cursed sometimes, but then again, she didn't believe in curses or luck or fate....or anything really.  
  
She moved behind the counter, straightening up the jewelry displays. Leaning on the counter, she stared out the shop window at the dreary, rainy city street. The weather lately had done nothing to improve her recent dark mood. It seemed like every time she turned around, she was narrowly avoiding being killed. This morning it was a tumble down the stairs as she left her apartment for work. If there had been anyone else around at the time, she would have sworn someone had pushed her. She had FELT something push her. Just yesterday, she had avoided being electrocuted in her shower as the radio she had in the bathroom fell in the tub just as she stepped out. That she didn't remember having plugged it in or placing it on that side of the sink counter was what bothered her the most.  
  
"Get it together," she berated herself. "If you keep this up, they will be calling the men in white coats to come and get you." She shook her head sadly and went back to her work, glancing up as the small bell over the door tinkled as it was opened. She nodded hello to the well, albeit eccentrically dressed, man as he entered the shop.  
  
Something at the back of her mind sent out a small warning as the man gave her an icy smile....... 


	2. A Chance Encounter

Trista eyed the stranger warily. There was something about him that set all the warning bells in her head off. It was nothing to do with his physical appearance..thin, pale, balding, but well dressed. It was more something to do with his actions and bearing. His shifty eyes darted from side to side nervously, his nose twitching, reminding her of a cornered rodent. She started to call for Christie to come from the back room to help this customer, and then remembered she had left earlier for lunch. Trista took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and forced a smile onto her face.  
  
"Good afternoon, sir," she said in her most pleasant voice. "Welcome to McNeal Jewelers. How may I be of service to you today?" She fought the urge to turn and run when he fixed his eyes on her.  
  
"Good afternoon, my dear," he replied, his voice high-pitched, squeaking slightly. He stepped closer to the counter, an unsettling glint in his eyes, reaching to remove something from his pocket. "Yes, you can very much help me.."  
  
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Remus Lupin stood across the busy city street from the small jewelry shop. He had been having a hard time tracking down her location, but had finally convinced one of the other tenants in Trista's apartment building to tell him where she worked when he found her not at home. He mulled over the task Dumbledore had set for him, wondering just how he was going to convince her that she needed to come with him for her own safety. The girl was most likely going to think he was some sort of lunatic. He gave a weary sigh, and crossed the street, dodging the traffic. Approaching the shop, he froze in horror at the tableau he saw through the window. He watched as a face from his past pulled a wand from his pocket and pointed it at the girl behind the counter. Without thinking, he apparated into the shop to appear next to her, grabbing her arm and yelling for her to get down.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Trista watched nervously as the man reached into his pocket, thinking he was going for a gun. She gave him a shocked look of surprise as he pulled what looked like a carved stick from his pocket and pointed it at her. He was grinning like a madman, licking his lips. The look on his face turned to a mingled one of rage and fear as she heard a small popping noise slightly behind her. She turned her head and gave a small scream, seeing another man standing behind her. He grabbed her arm and pushed her to the floor, yelling for her to get down. He followed her down, shielding her with his body, seconds before the counter exploded in a shower of glass, wood, and metal.  
  
"You'll regret this, Lupin!" she heard the first man scream, followed by another popping noise. The man pulled back from covering her, dusting debris from the now destroyed counter from his hair and shoulders. He got to his feet, looking around, and then holding his hand out to help her to stand. She got to her feet shakily, looking at the wreckage, her legs weak and barely supporting her. She gave the man a look of mixed confusion and terror.  
  
"Who..what...was that all about?" she asked him in a trembling voice. "Who the hell are you? What the hell just happened here?" The stranger gave her a weary smile, holding his hand out to steady her on her feet.  
  
"I know you are not going to believe this," he stated. "But I was sent by your grandfather." He caught the girl as she fainted, a look of shock on her face. 


End file.
